Diplomats from North and South Korea bury their differences as they attempt to escape the Somali civil war in this nail-biting, knife-edge thriller.
Somalia. 1991. Ambassador Han Shing-sung (Kim Yoon-seok) is charged with securing the country’s support for South Korea’s entry into the United Nations. He’s not helped by the presence of arrogant intelligence office Kang Dae-jin (Jo In-sung). Nor by the strong links between Somalia and North Korea, represented its ambassador Rim Yong-su (Huh Joon-ho) and Kang’s very able counterpart Tae Joon-ki (Koo Kyo-hwan). However, when fighting breaks out in the city, the North Korean attaché realises the danger they’re all in. They first make their way to the South Korean embassy, but it soon becomes clear to all that they only chance of survival is to escape the country.
Ryoo Seung-wan’s breathless thriller is inspired by actual events. The extended chase sequences are brilliantly staged. But it is the interplay between two conflicting cultures and ideologies that add richness and depth to the film. The performances are roundly impressive, conveying the lack of trust between the two sides, who realise that all their differences must be set aside if they are to live.
